Overpowered Wizard-Chapter B4 Ch51: Finally

“It was Ruvaria,” Hannah murmured.

The brown-haired artificer was sitting on the counter of the airy and fancy tiki-hut mansion she’d constructed on a world of sunshine and seas. Their newest abode overlooked a short cliff that gradually curved into a bay with shimmering cerulean water.

Zarian, his Floridians, and his daughter were milling about on the third floor, where there were hammocks, hanging chairs, a large bar counter, and even music. Everything was more or less a creation of Hannah’s, and while the Darkruns had gotten decent at constructing with sorcery, to where they could even make worlds lush with life, Hannah was unmatched in advanced architecture and magitek.

She’d even made the synthesized, dubstep-like tunes coming from the magic boombox.

Is this our beach episode? Zarian swished his tail behind him as he looked up at the bright suns and felt the warmth on his uncovered torso. It didn’t bother him anymore as long as he ignored the subtle urge to make everything dark. Yeah, this is our beach episode.

It was time to advance some social progression. And to unravel some mysteries.

“Ruvaria, you say?” Zarian swirled a big coconut drink in his hand. “You’ll have to explain a little more about how the greatest love of my life went behind our backs.”

“She warned us we were going to get tested.” Bianca swiveled her hips around and swayed with two drinks in her hands.

She was dancing and laughing with Naomi, the two celebrating their win under the sun. Her joy infused the outdoor setting with more light, which made the back of Zarian’s mind itch a little more. The discomfort mattered little, because everyone was wearing swimsuits or swim trunks, and every time Zarian’s eyes drew toward Naomi, he tapped on his Willpower to not react.

Bianca wore a two-piece with frills. Hannah stuck with a one-piece that exposed the belly and the back. Naomi wore strings that left nearly nothing to the imagination, like they were back at Miami Beach. Every time she showed off her backside, Zarian tapped on his Willpower.

“Mother warned you how?” Foodie picked up the conversation while under the shade of a large umbrella. She wore trunks like the guys, with a short shirt and a large-brimmed hat. A pair of shades covered her eyes to help her endure the brightness as she rested in a recliner.

She’s being far more chill about this than I expected, Zarian thought as Gilbert made his return by ascending up the outdoor steps. He already had a big bite hanging from his enchanted fishing rod. Zarian paid closer attention to the man because he’d taken on an insane amount of damage during the test, and he would be the most difficult to convert.

If this were a role-playing game where the future depended on the best dialogue options, Zarian was taking his time to consider his approach.

He was better off waiting for now, though. Yes, they had to get going soon, but what they’d just achieved was monumental. It deserved to be honored. And Zarian needed some time to clear the air in a few places. First, he waited for his chosen disciples to explain the length of Ruvaria’s treachery.

Naomi stopped dancing about and faced Zarian fully, fists on her hips, her body an unbelievable sculpture of power and femininity merged into one. Zarian pressed further on his Willpower as the militant woman beamed the biggest grin.

“So, yeah, we were pushing hard already. It was Bianca over here that kept telling us we needed to grind, grind, grind.” Naomi stuck a thumb at the Radiant Queen. Bianca stuck her tongue out teasingly as she motioned her hips suggestively. Naomi continued. “Y’know how it is with Bianca, can’t get a real answer, only just feelers. But those feelers were right when Ruvaria contacted us around the time the Final Round was going to start. She basically told us we’re going to be tested, and if we fail, we’ll be left behind.”

The mood dimmed, Naomi’s smile dropping. “No lie, Zarian, that pissed me the fuck off. So, we hatched ourselves a scheme. The best we can come up with. And we based it on our new book for how to deal with you Darkruns.”

“The Book of Darkrun?” Zarian prompted after sipping from his coconut drink. “What is it?”

The mortals stopped and shared a look. Naomi took the front woman position. “It’s for us to know, and for you to let go. I mean, we can’t stop you if you search it yourself and see what’s inside. But we made it based on you Darkruns. Guidelines. Quirks. Anecdotes.”

“Poetry and rhymes!” Bianca added.

“Gospels,” Hannah said, smirking.

“Devilry and warnings,” Gilbert grumbled.

“Don’t be that way, Gil!” Naomi teased. “It was thanks to your bible-thumping that we started on it!”

The former cop and very enthusiastic Jesus-lover grumbled some as he went about cleaning his catch on a table set aside for him. Zarian read him carefully, using all his senses with a light touch, and found his chances with Gilbert very unlikely still.

“So, you have this book about us, but we aren’t allowed to read it?” Foodie asked dryly. “Father, what do you think?”

“I’ll allow it,” he said.

“YES!” Bianca shrieked. Hannah let out a pleasant sigh. Naomi’s grin couldn’t get any bigger. Bianca took the floor. “We knew you would allow it. Silver fox Zarian is still our Zarian. Now the book is going to be even stronger.”

Are they relying on my nature to empower this book of theirs? Zarian had to admit that was clever. By paying attention to his Lion Prince skill, he noticed the flow of causality slipping away in an unknown direction. It was a small flow, and if he wasn’t looking for it, it could go about hidden from him.

Could this be connected to their book? Zarian was curious to see what was inside. But if the mystery surrounding helped his chosen survive being around the Darkruns, then it was imperative that he continued to stay ignorant.

“Are you displeased, Foodie?” Hannah asked, poking gently at the bear in the room.

Foodie sat up from her recliner and crossed her legs in front of her. Her ears had been down ever since Zarian had let them out of the abyss.

“I’m not sure how to say this without coming across as arrogant. So, please forgive me, because I didn’t intend to lose. I don’t think bringing you is a good idea. Yes, you were able to force a condition where the test ended with you all favored, but I still think you’ll hold us back, even if it’s not as drastic as dealing with far weaker mortals.” Foodie sighed as she threaded her fingers between her toes and rocked back and forth. “With that said, I must admit you’ve … played a good game against me, even though it would’ve cost you two, maybe three lives.”

Zarian understood where Foodie was coming from. He also sensed an unspoken angle to her words. If she’d been allowed to go all out, they wouldn’t have won. But there was more to this test than she understood. He was about to correct her assumptions, but Gilbert pushed in first.

“Y’all are seeing it like it’s a zero-sum game. It’s less about whether we can beat you fairly or not. It’s about the potential for us to grow along with you and be there in the mix of saving the universe. Hells, I don’t even think we’ll touch hair or hide of Evil Para or whatever the hell Ariana got cooked up. But you can always throw us at their minions, y’know?”

Hannah hopped on that. “And the test served as a showcase of our mentality. We were all ready to go all the way. Even at the cost of our own lives. Besides, the idea of just being left behind just didn’t sit right with any of us after all we’ve been through.”

“Damn straight,” Naomi growled, marching up to Zarian until they were chest to chest, nose to nose, her eyes glaring into his. “We don’t care if we’re weaker. We don’t care if we’re out of your league. We started this together, and we’re going to finish this together.”

For half a minute, with the idyllic waves slapping at the sand, Zarian and Naomi stood face to face, his aura condensed, hers crackling. It was Naomi who looked away first. She slowly turned to create distance, moving away. By one step. Then no more.

Zarian’s arm found her thin and hardened waist, his hands on her abs. He closed the gap by pulling her to his side, and she’d allowed it, melting into him like she was always meant to be there.

“OHHHHHHH!” Bianca roared.

“Well now,” Gilbert said.

Hannah observed quietly, and Foodie fumed darkly.

“I’m going to take Naomi away soon and have a private moment with her,” Zarian said steadily, using more of his Willpower to stay calm and focused.

Naomi’s aura crackled like a miniature storm in the shape of an amazonian beauty. Mental waves of her enthusiasm pulsated through her body and struck the hardest in his head. He could block it. Easily. He didn’t. He leaned further on his Willpower.

“Before I go, I want to clear the air from my end,” Zarian said. “First, Hannah. I’m impressed. Deeply impressed. There are not enough words to praise what you’ve done. I know you’ve struggled with finding your place. Excuse me for touching on that a little, but I just wanted to emphasize that you’ve always had it in you to find your own path to greatness that is unlike the rest of us. As we journey further, I’ll gladly help you further your growth. And to make that process easier, I wish to deem you as my First Disciple.”

The moment he said it, Zarian felt his soul pulsate as he unleashed a power that had always been in him, waiting. Hannah gasped before looking up at a notification meant for her. Zarian hurried on.

“This is the real purpose of the test. There’s a power inside of me that’s beyond the usual parameters. God Rankers probably have something like, but they have to be in that rank. I don’t need to be. I’m ultra. And originally, I was going to use it on Naomi. I’m a little wiser now, I hope, after getting away for thirty years. Now I understand it was meant for all four of you. I’m not sure what it’ll do and how it works just yet. But we can discuss that further after I clear the air with Naomi.”

“Zarian, I…” Gilbert trailed off as he looked up at the notification, an offer to become a disciple, possibly.

Zarian wasn’t seeing anything yet. It was a sneaky way for the System to mess with the power imbalance by making the disciple process dependent on the disciple. Zarian didn’t mind.

Gilbert cleared his throat. “I don’t know if I can.”

“Just think about it.”

“Father,” Foodie grunted, glaring at Naomi. “I do not approve. Why not Ruvaria and Lucy?”

“Kid, I’m not judging you for keeping Wallen, don’t judge me for my choices.”

“But she broke your heart!” Foodie roared.

Zarian was about to snap and put the runt in her place when Naomi pressed a calming hand on his chest. He stopped and waited for her to speak.

“It’s more than just the relationship, isn’t it?” Naomi accused, looking Foodie in the eye as she talked. “Out of everybody, you see me as the least valuable. I’m pretty much a weaker version of you.”

Foodie narrowed her eyes and said nothing. Zarian’s anger rose, but Naomi was still taking center stage.

“An offer then. Let me be Foodie’s First Disciple. Let her mold me to be stronger. I think it’ll only be fair since she’s a part of this, and she shouldn’t be left out.”

Naomi waited in the center of the storm as both Darkruns let out their auras. Not all of it, especially in Zarian’s case. Only enough to make an impact.

Zarian’s was heavier, more crushing, forcing the mortals to their knees. The entire tiki-mansion groaned from the stress, parts of it snapping, the roof collapsing. Foodie remained on her feet as she looked down at Naomi with a different light in her yellow eyes.

Zarian recognized Foodie’s contempt flip into eagerness. She didn’t even have bloodline powers, yet she wanted to take one of his disciples? The audacity of this kid.

With Zarian’s anger rising, things were going to get worse, but Naomi flipped on her Aura Ignition, stood up, and traced her hands through Zarian’s hair, her nails scratching his scalp. The familiar sensation reminded him of when she’d handled his hair in the early days.

She kept at it until Zarian calmed down, Foodie following his example. The mortals slowly recovered. Hannah fixed the structural damages while Gilbert swore at his mushed fish.

“Wow, I love the drama with these Darkruns. I can make a telenovela with this.” Bianca giggled.

“That was a definite Book of Darkrun moment,” Hannah said, sighing.

“Yup,” Naomi said, snuffing her Aura Ignition. “Give us some time, y’all. Zarian and I have a long awaited chat. A serious one for once. And I’ll see if I can convince him to let me go as a disciple so Foodie doesn’t feel left out.”

“She’s still learning,” Zarian muttered.

Naomi flicked him on the nose playfully. “And so are you. It ain’t like you had disciples before, right? And Foodie’s always been the best at Aura ignition in my eyes. It’ll make sense in the long run.”

“Yes,” Foodie hissed, her gaze shamelessly taking Naomi in with a goblin’s greed. That raised some conflicting feelings in Zarian as he took Naomi away to another world to get some distance and privacy.

They landed in a world similar to the pocket dimension he’d spent thirty years in with Ruvaria and Foodie.

Fat and steady raindrops poured down from heavy rain clouds that slowly crawled through the massive canopy that covered the world’s sky. Wide rivers and lakes flowed between massive roots that snaked across the hills and mountains. The undergrowth was gigantic, with bushes and ferns reaching dozens to hundreds of feet above. Large bugs and critters in the Level 50s croaked, flitted, and scuttled about underneath all the wet, verdant flora.

Zarian and Naomi’s feet sank into a muddy bank as a calm river twisted past them, the surface rippling with raindrops as the ambiance filled with pleasing sounds and wet forest scents.

Taking deep breaths, Zarian tried to settle into a calm mood and couldn’t. He turned to Naomi, his mind racing through thousands of dialogue options until she placed her hand on his head and ran her nails across his scalp again, calming him. He settled on what to say.

“Are you doing this because I made Hannah the First Disciple? I think I always meant it for you, but I couldn’t deny Hannah her right after the test and–”

“I’m not playing games with you, Zarian. This isn’t in retaliation. Hannah deserves it, and the both of you can geek out to your heart’s content. Besides, Hannah’s official with Rhea Hemlock now, so that’s not a concern either.”

“Oh! Oh, congrats to them. Okay. Well. Is there something wrong with being one of my earliest disciples?”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“It wouldn’t suit me. We’re on the opposite ends with battle styles. That goes double now that Para’s doing her own thing. Hannah, Bianca, and Gilbert would benefit. They all got unique quirks outside of just straight fighting. Not me, though.”

“Did you know about being a disciple beforehand?”

“No, not really. The context clues added up, I guess. Ruvaria hadn’t warned me. And of course, our Book of Darkrun helps. It was really a decision that made sense on the spot, and I think Foodie needs this.”

“Ruvaria and I gave her as much as we could.”

“Yeah, Zarian, I bet you did. But guess what?”

“What?”

“She’s a Darkrun.”

Zarian’s mouth worked without any sound coming out. This was the first time in a while that he had his own name thrown back at his face so hard. He felt the weight of that. It was frustrating. He imagined this was how frustrating everyone else must’ve felt having to deal with his family.

Turning away from Naomi, Zarian crouched at the edge of the river. He growled like a beast and made the air, the water, and the nearest plants quiver and sway. It took him a while to calm down again. It took him longer to consider the most problematic question. Could he still love her without her being his disciple? The answer was immediate.

Yes.

The moment he had an answer, the tension Zarian felt eased out of him. A second later, he felt Naomi drape herself over him, her chin resting on his shoulder, her curvy and powerful body pressed to his back. She waited there as his tail curled around her legs.

“Ruvaria has talked at length about you,” he said.

“Oh?”

“She says it’ll be best to bring you into the fold. You are strong, determined, and loyal. You are beautiful. She likes you. And she’s thankful to you for helping her when she wasn’t sure about our relationship.”

Naomi’s full and luscious lips traced over Zarian’s ear. He felt her smiling. “She’s giving us the green light?” she asked huskily.

“More than that. She’s extending something long term. More than a harem. More than a short fling. She’s offering stability and permanence. A partnership with all three of us.”

Naomi turned rigid.

Zarian hammered the nail in. “I want that, too. I wasn’t so certain. And I thought I was too messy to have more than me and the one person I can focus on. And I can still stick to that. But I’ve forgiven you, Naomi Washington, and I still love you. And Ruvaria wants to see more of you, and she thinks she can love you as you are as well.”

Naomi sucked in a quick breath and slowly shifted off Zarian’s back. She crouched next to him like they were two half-naked kids in on a secret.

“Seriously?” she whispered.

“Seriously.”

“And y’all have thought about this thoroughly?”

“We’ve touched on it infrequently at first. And then we talked it out seriously the last couple of years inside our personal world.” Zarian reached over and took Naomi’s hand into his. “Ruvaria and I are going to have long lives. She’s a hidden goddess. I imagine her true power, once she fully unleashes herself, could keep up with mine.”

“I’m not as powerful as you two.”

“We know. But there’s something about you in that tenacious mortal spirit that we like. A lot. I saw it first, of course. And Ruvaria recognizes it. I think she covets you as well, which might explain why she brings it up a bunch.”

“It’ll help if I can hear it from her. I, uh, I can fool around with girls, but I’ve never been in love, in love, like that. I was kinda setting myself up to be…”

“Played with, ditched, and called forth at our leisure?” Zarian asked lightly.

“Yeah.”

“No.”

Zarian’s voice slammed with impact, his aura shooting out, clipping down a thousand trees. The slow river parted like Moses. The heavy clouds above split, and the rain stopped from the sheer deific might of this one word.

With a flex of his magic, he restored everything, even the plants and the rain and the river. Naomi watched with wide eyes as everything became as it had been because Zarian willed it so.

“I’m … I’m not used to this sort of care,” Naomi murmured. “I’ve screwed it up. I’ve always screwed it up. I don’t deserve this.”

Irritated, Zarian reached out across the lesser realm. A second later, Ruvaria appeared, landing quietly on the other side of Naomi, the elf’s pale feet sinking into the mud along with them. She was dressed in a small, green slip that hugged tight to the womanly curves she’d grown merrily. However, next to Naomi, she looked like a petite girl again.

As Zarian stood and moved next to Ruvaria, Naomi fell to her knees before the both of them. The temptation to make her his disciple was strong, but Zarian slowly let that go. Naomi wasn’t wrong. Foodie would serve as a better Darkrun for her, at least until Naomi outgrew her discipleship. With that no longer a focus, Zarian looked into Ruvaria’s glowing emerald eyes and exchanged all that he’d learned with a quick burst of mental sorcery.

“You do not believe yourself worthy of our full love, Naomi Washington,” Ruvaria said, more matter of fact than question. “I agree with you.” She held up her hand before Zarian could protest. “I wasn’t worthy of his either. It took time. And it took until you gave me the opportunity I needed to secure my place. If it weren’t for your folly, things would’ve played out differently. And yes, it’s as you fear. To be with him is greater than any other option in this universe. I would rather die than lose him. So, as cruel as this sounds, I must thank you for your blunder and loss.”

Fucking aye, Ruvaria, get a longer knife to stab with, why don’t you? It was hard for Zarian to stay silent. He was certain that Ruvaria wasn’t done. He hoped she wasn’t as Naomi slouched downward, crushed by Ruvaria’s words.

The elf didn’t blink once, and she waited as Naomi crumpled until her face was about to touch the floor. Only then did Ruvaria grasp Naomi by her cheeks, stopping. Crouched now, she helped lift Naomi up some.

“I must thank you some more, in fact. I saw how you put aside your love for him when you awakened from your coma. I still didn’t realize how much he loved me when I was on the edge of murdering my past. You told me. You didn’t have to. But you told me, ripping out your own heart, because you wanted him to be happy. And that is a feat worthy of worship. Never mind your folly, Naomi, for I cannot detest you whatsoever, for you have given much and endured much. I find you to be the most beautiful mortal I’ve ever seen. And it didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t want you left out. I dare say I want you to experience what I’m experiencing. I even want to see and learn more about you. I want to help you grow more powerful and become like us. I want you to be with us. Our love will be one of work and redemption, yes, but it will be secured and presented to you with the safety and consistency that you deserve. Will you accept us, Naomi Washington, and finally be made whole?”

And this is how cults are made, Zarian thought humorously. Though he had to admit, Ruvaria would’ve swept him off his feet if she’d done that to him during his weaker moments. But she had been weaker, too. They’d both worked on building each other up. And the two of us can be there for Naomi.

“Yes,” their new partner said, their mortal. “I say yes. I want this. I want all of this. I’m, um, yours.”

“Then be merry, be welcomed, and be loved.” Ruvaria backed away, and Zarian didn’t even have to think about it.

Naomi didn’t think about it either. She was faster, too, lunging into him before he was halfway down. She reminded him that she still had an immense amount of Strength and Agility, which she used to tackle him down, pinning him in the mud. Her eyes were wide and wild. Her breath surged out of her with a storminess. Her touch was hot and electric, and Zarian felt like he was a young man again, but far more godly and with some experience. That didn’t stop him from locking up like a deer under a cougar as he looked up at Naomi. He saw the hunger in her eyes. Unfiltered joy. Love-drunk lunacy and possessiveness. Then he saw her luscious brown lips as they came down and pressed against his. It was nuclear. Like bombs going off. The insane sensations thrumming through his body could’ve annihilated a few lesser worlds if he didn’t keep his power under wraps. How long had he wanted this? This crazy, passionate, wild, in-your-face train-wreck of a love? It was so much. Too much. Was his Willpower going to crack? It shouldn’t be possible. She was far weaker than him. Far weaker than Ruvaria. But Naomi affected him that badly. It took more ferocious kisses and bites and their bodies rolling in the mud for Zarian to realize the answer was Naomi’s soul. It was at the opposite end of the spectrum compared to Ruvaria’s soul, yet it was truly a beautiful thing, the most mortal of mortals.

We complete each other, Zarian realized through his muddled thoughts as he finally separated to take a breath. He was muddy and covered in claw marks. Patches of the forest were trampled. His ribs and hips hurt. They hadn’t done more than kissing, but once Naomi locked her legs around him, she tended to squeeze. At the very least, she was under him, and the view was fantastic while her skimpy swimsuit was gone, shredded away somewhere back in the wake of their passionate roll of destruction.

The hyper-blissful expression on Naomi’s face suggested that she was totally out of it. She kept pawing at him, but not overtly so, giving him a chance to wrestle her down even if his Strength didn’t compare to hers. She lightened up further as Ruvaria sauntered in with a knowing smirk.

“I was right.” She sounded pleased with herself.

“We have to go.” Zarian gulped down air as he slowly broke free from Naomi’s hold. It wasn’t easy. She made him work to escape. “We have to get back on the–” Zarian stopped short when Naomi’s feet scooped behind his legs to lock him in longer. Relying on his free evil, Zarian came up with the perfect scheme.

He grabbed Ruvaria by her neck. She let out a small eek, face turning red, her body leaning into his familiar hold. She pursed her lips automatically, awaiting a kiss, and Zarian felt bad for what was coming next.

But not bad enough to stop.

He threw her down into the mud with Naomi, and the wild woman pounced. Zarian slipped free, but he didn’t move far, as he saw one of the most beautiful sights in existence.

Regardless of the mauling Naomi gave him, she immediately toned herself down for Ruvaria’s comfort. The smaller elf easily became dominated, her slimmer body getting engulfed, her reddening face raised up in the entanglement as Naomi peered down with a cocky smile. Then without further prompting, they kissed, and a part of Zarian’s brain lit up at the picturesque beauty of that.

Zarian found a root to sit on and relax as the rain continued to pour down. The surrounding nature faded out of view. The scene before him was magnetic. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. There was more than just sexual appeal. They simply looked perfect together, as if the extremity of their opposing existences made the attraction far, far stronger.

Zarian was fine with being an observer of that. It was only when they gently broke away and turned to focus on him that he had another realization that should’ve been obvious. He wasn’t just an observer. He was the anchor, the centerfold, the prime nexus.

He was their Ultra God and sole man.

“We need to get going,” Zarian muttered as Ruvaria slid into her place on his lap. “We should–”

Naomi pushed him down with a hand on his shoulder. Ruvaria squeaked again and ended up sandwiched as Naomi lightly mauled Zarian. After a few seconds of that, Ruvaria wriggled about and found her place, her face tucked into his neck as she set about to nibble while Naomi chomped in between their onslaught of kisses. Zarian was left stunned under their attention. He lost track of time until Naomi took charge and stopped the play.

“We do have to go,” she said with a low growl, sitting to the side on the same root. “I appreciate this. And I want more. With all three of us. But we have to go.”

Zarian slowly lifted into a seat as Ruvaria rested, half curled, half sprawled in both his and Naomi’s laps. Both Marines took a second to admire their little elf partner.

“We can’t take her?” Naomi asked. “She can fit in a pack. It’ll be nice having a pocket elf around.”

“She needs to stay home and out of the conflict. I’ll explain more later.” Zarian rubbed one of Ruvaria’s ears, making her shiver. Naomi followed his example by rubbing the other ear, making Ruvaria squirm and pant even further.

As they played with their elf, Zarian and Naomi took a small breather, the both of them still hot and shaky from the small release they’d granted each other after so long.

“I can wait. For the real deal, you know? This thing is new to me, and I want it to go right the first time. So, let’s, uh, keep it slightly professional until the job is done, aye?” Naomi asked.

“That works for me. And I know you don’t need my approval, but I’m okay with you becoming Foodie’s First Disciple. Just–”

“I know. I won’t cross that line. I’m serious. You two showed me a way forward, and it’s better than anything I could have hoped for. I’ll be damned if I ruin that.” Naomi huffed shakily, her free hand squeezing Zarian’s hard enough to hurt.

Zarian nodded. “This is it. This is what I want.” He was certain now. “I’ll do all I can to make Lucy understand.”

“You know you’ll have my help, even if it means I have to beat a bitch or two or three or a dozen. Once it’s all done, we’ll return to our Ruvaria.”

Our Ruvaria. He saw the glow of admiration in Naomi’s eyes as the militant woman smiled down at their elf. Yup. She was a believer just like Zarian. Maybe we’re in the cult of Ruvaria more so than the cult of Zarian. Or maybe we can have multiple romantic cults within our partnership.

Both Zarian and Ruvaria liked the attitude of their mortal partner. By a lot, a lot. The cult of Naomi.

“I will leave then, or you two would struggle to let go of me,” Ruvaria said dreamily. “Go forth and achieve greatness among the infinite stars. And when your adventure has ended, return to me, for I will provide home and rest and joy for you both, my heroes, my lovers, my god and mortal.”

Then with a force of will that was greater than Zarian and Naomi’s combined, Ruvaria teleported away, returning home.

“Is this real or am I in heaven?” Naomi asked.

“Do you see any Marines guarding the gates?”

“I’m pretty sure we’ll be storming hell.”

“We have stormed hell. We haven’t stormed heaven. Maybe we might end up doing that along the way.”

“Fuck yeah, let’s go!”

With a flex of magic, Zarian cleaned them both off and returned Naomi’s stringy swimwear to its rightful place. They returned to the sunny seaside world, the mood a little less bright while burdened by an atmosphere of anticipation.

“Oh, em, gee, you’re a thing now!” Bianca squealed. “With Ruvaria, right, right?”

Naomi shivered, her smile growing. “It’s more than I can hope for. And we barely scratched the surface.”

Bianca squealed again.

Hannah raised a coconut drink in a toast of congrats.

Gilbert busied himself with another fish he’d caught during the interim. And Foodie waited in the corner under an umbrella. She was slouched over, her gaze downcast.

Zarian rubbed the small of Naomi’s back and stopped himself short of going lower. That was not easy. Her ass had a serious gravitational pull.

Keep it mostly professional until we return to our Ruvaria, he told himself. With great restraint, he urged Naomi forward in Foodie’s direction.

The other Darkrun saw that and looked into his eyes. Zarian nodded with meaning, and Foodie rushed over to Naomi, looming over her, breathing hard.

“I’m going to have to add this to the Book of Darkrun,” Hannah murmured. “There seems to be a deep connection between you and the prospect of having disciples. I’m itching to accept, but…”

Hannah looked over at Gilbert.

Zarian stepped next to the man. A minute went by before Zarian concluded his thoughts. “If you don’t accept, I cannot take you with us. It has to be all or nothing.”

“I’m going to accept,” Gilbert said. “Just give me a moment, okay? Gotta get some prayer in. But I think this is par for the course.”

“Yeah?”

“I think my god is ultra. Maybe even friends with your ultra lineage or whatever. Maybe I’m supposed to be here to make sure things go alright. Be the steady head among all the mad ones. And this isn’t forever, right?”

“It’s as long as you want it to be, I believe.”

“What do you get out of it?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just a strong urge as of now. I’m not even seeing any notifications from the System. All I know is that the four of you are the most promising candidates for it.”

“It’s a definite strong urge. Foodie wanted to cast me out, but now she’s practically drooling all over me,” Naomi grunted humorously.

“I apologize for my rudeness, Naomi, Father. Thank you for letting me have a promising First Disciple,” Foodie squeaked, her cheeks purpling.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. How about you get some bloodline skills, why don’t ya?” Zarian grumbled.

Gilbert snorted at that. “Yeah, okay, if you’re going to give up Naomi like that, then it’ll be awful to refuse, huh? Just give me some time, okay?”

“We’ll all accept it altogether, right? As one, right, right?” Bianca thrust a butter knife made of light at Hannah, and the other woman dodged aside with a bored look on her face.

“Oh, one more thing.” Zarian clapped his hands in realization. “We might as well chart how we optimize going forward. I think it’s safe to say that everyone should lean toward free evil or free good. The power-ups for those matter a lot.”

“Free good,” Gilbert said.

“Free evil,” Hannah voted.

“Free … good,” Naomi decided, the others glancing at her in surprise. She bristled at that. “I can be good! I’ll just have to work on it.”

“Okay, cool. We’ll factor that in along with the changes from becoming disciples. Also, Foodie, would you like to become a Freedom Leader? We haven’t settled on the sixth and seventh yet. Ruvaria keeps refusing.”

“I’ll take it.”

“Who’ll be our seventh?” Gilbert asked.

Zarian hummed. “We’ll figure that out as we go.”

For the rest of their time in the sunny seaside world, they enjoyed themselves and talked shop, with Zarian airing out as much as he could as he listened to the personal developments of the others. Hannah soaked more of his attention. Bianca and Naomi drifted around Foodie as the three talked about martial techniques. That had Zarian wondering if Bianca should be another one of Foodie’s disciples.

“I’m yours,” Bianca said suddenly, as if reading his mood. “We have a thing, papi! Your darkness and my light. We can’t separate that.”

The tension in Zarian eased away after hearing that. He’d hate to lose another disciple! Foodie should get her own!

Finally, Gilbert finished dragging his feet and did all the prayers he could. He nodded with meaning at the others, and Hannah led the informal ceremony of Darkrun Discipleship. Only then did Zarian get to see the System’s side for himself.

<You’ve acquired a First Disciple: Hannah Townhouse of Sainte-Darkrun!>

<You’ve acquired a Disciple: Bianca Garcia of Sainte-Darkrun!>

<You’ve acquired a Disciple: Gilbert McDonald of Sainte-Darkrun!>

<The parameters for discipleship are as new as the freedom alignment. This is not a power that can be spread by will. It must come from within naturally while remaining within a relatively small and trustworthy circle. Your disciples can call upon portions of your power and likeness from anywhere within Infinita. In return, you can replicate their powers and likeness from anywhere within Infinita. There are no experience penalties when leveling up together. These effects are stronger with the First Disciple. The discipleship can end either by the choice of the disciple or the Ultra God.>

“Oh, oh hell yeah, that’s awesome.” That was all Zarian could get out before Naomi launched herself into space with one jump. She was screaming the whole way as she erupted across the stages of Aura Ignition. Her power became far larger than before, incredibly so.

“Oh, great, she’s going to become even more insufferable,” Hannah muttered half-heartedly.

“She’s amazing. My First Disciple. I love her,” Foodie said, swooning, before letting out a gobbish squeak. “I mean platonically!”

Zarian glowered at her before shaking his head. He didn’t blame her. The connection to his disciples was strong. He liked it a lot. Can I really replicate their powers?

Zarian turned and extended his hand, thinking of Hannah’s abilities. Without sorcery, without wizardry, without aura, he gathered a ton of sand and packed it away into a special dimension reserved for materials. Then he formed a wall cube-by-cube with Hannah’s powers.

Eyes widening, he turned toward the others. Hannah looked up with a huge grin as she formed sorcery circles in the air. Gilbert shouted as a tail sprouted from the small of his back – a lion tail.

The world dimmed. The bay water stopped glimmering. All color drained away, leaving grays, blacks, and whites. Bianca floated in the air as she shone with black and gray light like an eldritch angel from the Twilight Zone. She was stunning. And scary.

There were so many possibilities now.

“Unfortunately, we can’t really slow down to practice.” Zarian chuckled. “So we’re going to learn by trial and fire.”

After Naomi returned, she, Hannah, and Gilbert switched sub-alignments. They would have to grow those from scratch, but that was fine. Foodie became a freedom leader. Then they finally accepted the offer to ascend to the next realm at long last. They would’ve been separated and forced to take on some hard quests if Zarian and Hannah hadn’t removed that issue with system magic. He led the way while his First Disciple learned from him merrily.

Things were looking up.